


Dress

by elemsee



Category: Anthem (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, bookcase sex, tiny bit of angst if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 03:28:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18512983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elemsee/pseuds/elemsee
Summary: In which the Freelancer reluctantly wears a dress and Matthias is forced to come to terms with buried feelings.





	Dress

**Author's Note:**

> One day soon I'll stop writing about these goddamn characters, I promise. 
> 
> This one is set pre-Triple Threat, which means Matthias isn't split yet — and this fic is also deviating from my usual timeline since I usually ship my Freelancer with Owen. 
> 
> The fact that Erryl is the soft spoken, tentative and quiet member of the trio proves to me that despite Matthias' usual bravado, he does indeed have a shy side buried in there somewhere. My personal headcanon is that Matthias gets like this when he's crushing on someone and thus, this fanfic was born! 
> 
> Another quick headcanon in case you're new to my Anthem tales — my Freelancer often refers to Matthias by his nickname Matti, not many people get to call him that but he lets her because they're close friends. 
> 
> I also realised half way through that somehow this fic is the story equivalent of the Taylor Swift song 'Dress', so consider it a companion piece if you like to listen to music while you read.
> 
> As always, this is pretty devoid of plot and is just shameless self indulgence. Enjoy. ;)

The dead of night was always Matthias Sumner's favourite time of day.

 

It had been this way ever since he was a child, a homeless orphan kicking around on the tough streets of Heliost. He took comfort in the eerie quiet of the alleyways, the way he could seek solace in the darkest corner and remain mostly unbothered. No sympathetic glances from people, no being nastily told to shoo by others. He could bask happily in the silence, imagining the wonders of the world and just what he would do when he eventually grew up.

 

Now he was a grown man, lucky enough to see some of the wonders of the world with his own two eyes as an Arcanist, and yet he still thrived most alone at night, when he could just exist with no worry of consequences. Spending nights in his lab poring over his books and piecing together theories brought him endless joy. 

 

This night in particular, however, he was being driven to distraction.

 

Matthias didn't really do falling in love — his first love was his job. Shaper relics and runes and books gave him the kind of excitement and satisfaction in his life that made him crave little else. But that's not to say he'd never been in love with a woman before — he'd been in a serious relationship in his early twenties and it didn't end well, leaving the kind of scar upon his heart that he knew would never truly heal. He tended to keep his head down, trusting that his career gave him all the fulfilment he would ever need.

 

That was until he met Felicity Davri.

 

Freelancer Felicity Davri stormed into Matthias' life — quite literally — one sunny afternoon in Bastion as she rescued him from the clutches of a group of Scars. She was little more than a helmeted enigma with a velvety voice and an assault rifle. Upon his arrival back at Fort Tarsis, however, he learned that the velvety voice came attached with a pair of dazzling emerald eyes and a smile that could make even the coldest of enemies fall to their knees in surrender.

 

It didn't help matters that she was attentive and thoughtful. She also boasted incredible strength and talent as a Freelancer. She had gone to massive effort to help Matthias find the Elysian Manuscript — a document he'd dedicated his entire working life to finding. And even when the most difficult tasks presented themselves to her, Felicity would always be willing to do more. There was always more.

 

Matthias, much to his chagrin, desperately wanted more. He hated himself for it.

 

"Matthias? I need an opinion," came the sudden sound of Felicity's voice as she stepped into his lab, her footsteps making clacking sounds against the tiled floor. 

 

Matthias was bundled into the inner corner of the room, sat at his desk huddled over a book. The arcanist had wanted to use his alone time to make some plans for an upcoming expedition, but his thoughts wouldn't seem to leave him — and now here she was, the star of his distracting thoughts, here to distract him in person. He huffed out a quick exhale, exasperated. He could hardly blame her for the way she made him feel. He'd inflicted this upon himself. 

 

He heard her footsteps grow louder as she moved closer, preparing himself to make a joke about how she'd clearly come to the best person in the Fort if she wanted an educated opinion.

 

As he spun round in his seat to finally greet her face to face, his words died in his throat, leaving him silent and slack jawed as he gazed upon her.

 

"What do you think?"

 

He swallowed hard. "I think... you're in a dress."

 

A floor length low cut navy dress, to be exact, with spaghetti straps at the shoulders and a fit that hugged the curves of her body snugly. Matthias wondered if he'd fallen asleep and was, in fact, dreaming. 

 

Felicity stood with her hands on her hips, an unimpressed expression framing her face. "I made the catastrophic mistake of mentioning the Spring Solstice festival to Zoe. Somehow I was dragged round the market to pick out fabric for a dress to wear," she complained, "And now I own... this. I've spent the past few hours pacing around the apartment in it. I just needed a second opinion. Well, a third one. I knew if anyone else would still be awake at this hour it'd be you. Be honest."

 

Matthias wasn't sure when he'd lost the ability to form words into sentences, but his brain was delivering him nothing but static as his eyes roamed up and down Felicity's body.

 

"It's just not me, is it?" The Freelancer scratched at her collarbone absently. "My Javelin's more comfortable than this awful fabric." 

 

Slowly he stood up from the stool, taking a step towards the Freelancer as he reached out to grab her hand. He held it above her head and motioned for her to twirl, which she did with a chuckle.

 

"Well," Matthias cleared his throat, "If it's my professional opinion you want... you look incredible, Lis."

 

Their eyes met as Felicity flashed him a grateful smile, and the electricity in the air was palpable between their lingering glances. Matthias felt that familiar tingle of nervousness in the pit of his stomach. Why was he nervous? 

 

"I'll take your word for it," she joked, "What are you working on there?" Felicity gestured to the open book behind him, and he was grateful for the sudden change of subject. 

 

The arcanist spent the next few minutes doing what he did best — engaging himself entirely in his work. He explained his plans to her in excruciating detail, hoping that it would be enough to distract him from his increasingly wanton thoughts. 

 

Felicity responded to him in her typical fashion — genuinely enthusiastic, supportive, with wide eyed curiosity. Matthias' heart skipped with a rush of affection as he gazed upon her, and he found himself so lost in his thoughts that he didn't immediately realise she'd stopped speaking.

 

"Uh... Matthias?" 

 

He jolted, feeling embarrassed as he noted her confused expression. "Sorry, got a bit lost there," came his sheepish response, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he attempted to avert her now amused stare.

 

Felicity's smile dropped ever so slightly, shifting from grateful into playfully curious as she took a tentative step toward him, urging him to finally look her in the eye again.

 

There was an endearing shyness within his gaze she'd never really seen before, which was uncharacteristic of the Matthias she'd gotten to know these past few months — usually he was welcoming and friendly, with an air of confidence that made you want to engage him. On a bad day he could be sharp, brash and a tad abrasive. But at that moment, she saw neither of these: all she saw were the eyes of someone preparing to tread into unknown territory. 

 

They'd been dancing around it for weeks — their friendship had grown slowly closer, and now Felicity found herself thinking about him more often than she cared to admit. He was brilliant, intelligent and curious, appealing to her intellectual side in a way that nobody else in her life could. He was beautiful, tanned skin and toned arms, with hypnotic chestnut brown eyes that bore into her soul as though he were consuming every single one of her deepest thoughts. 

 

Back at her apartment hours earlier she'd stared at herself in the mirror, unable to shake the first thought that had come to mind as she stared at the dress-clad woman looking back at her. _I wonder what Matti would say if he saw me in this..._

 

Her cheeks had flushed as she considered the immediate thoughts that ran through her mind.

 

And so Felicity had walked before she could talk herself out of it, primal instinct beating down any single shred of rational thought she'd had left.

 

The Freelancer found herself consumed with that same battle of instinct against rationality as she considered her next words, chewing at her bottom lip absently. "There's something I need to admit." 

 

Alarm bells rang out inside Matthias' head as he eyed her cautiously, his eyebrows twitching with the threat of a confused furrow.

 

"Matti, I didn't come here just to get your opinion," she continued, "The truth is... I came here to see if I could finally get the reaction I've been wanting out of you."

 

The arcanist's heart was beating a mile a minute as he considered her words. He could feel goosebumps prickling along his forearms. He'd made such a valiant attempt to not give into his instincts, but the way Felicity looked up at him was quickly tearing apart his resolve. 

 

His eyes drifted down to glance momentarily at her parted lips. "Oh yeah? What reaction is that?" he asked, his voice a low rasp in his throat.

 

Felicity's eyes darted down between their bodies, her once innocent smile now replaced with the beginnings of a devilish smirk. Her eyebrows shot up as her gaze found his, and Matthias swallowed hard, fully aware that his body was making his feelings clearer than any spoken word ever could. 

 

She reached for his hand, trembling as she threaded her fingers between his. They locked eyes, and the entire situation hit Matthias like a train as he began to accept what was happening. It wasn't a dream anymore. He gripped tighter onto her hand, his breathing ragged as it made an attempt to keep up with his quickening heartbeat.

 

"Lis, wait... are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" She was one of the few true friends he had. The thought of damaging their bond with one impulsive decision gave him an uncomfortable ache in his chest. 

 

"Matthias, I'm in this stupid dress for the benefit of one person and one person only, and he's standing right in front of me." Felicity snickered, her face reverting back to seriousness immediately as she saw the intense concern in his eyes. "I've thought about this for longer than I care to admit. So yes. This is — you are — what I want." 

 

She let her hand fall between them, travelling downward to palm at Matthias' clothed bulge. The arcanist responded with a gasp followed by a throaty growl, and all bets were off in an instant as he reached for her waist to yank her body flush against his own.

 

The first kiss was rough and needy, all sloppy tongues and clashing teeth as they finally succumbed to the growing tension of the past few months. Matthias grasped at Felicity's hips with both hands, feeling the soft material of her dress slip between his fingers. Felicity gripped at Matthias' shoulders, her fingernails digging tiny crescent moon shaped marks into his tanned skin.

 

Felicity reversed their positions as they continued to kiss, walking them slowly backwards. When she finally arrived at their intended destination she broke the kiss, hiking up the fabric of her flowing dress up to her thighs before hopping up to sit on top of the desk. She reached to pull Matthias back in close, his growing hardness pressing between her legs as he moved, drawing a low moan from the Freelancer's throat.

 

Matthias leaned in to kiss Felicity again, his hand gripping at her bare thigh for a brief moment before slowly travelling upwards. The arcanist found, to his surprise, no fabric standing between him and the prize he sought: Felicity wasn't wearing any underwear.

 

Matthias caught his lip between his teeth as he gently traced his index finger between Felicity's soaking wet folds, hearing her muffled whimper as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. He brushed his thumb expertly over her nub as he pressed two fingers inside her, to which she responded with a contented moan.

 

The arcanist was talented with his hands and it showed, keening sounds falling from Felicity's mouth as he pistoned his fingers inside her with expert precision, the pad of his thumb teasing the little bundle of nerves with small circular motions. 

 

Her nails dug harder into the skin of his shoulder blades, and Matthias knew he'd have scratches in the morning. The thought of her marking him made him throb with want and he ground his hips against the inside of her thigh, groaning quietly at the tiny shocks of pleasure it afforded him.

 

Felicity leaned her face close to his and he took the opportunity to snatch another kiss, this one deeper and softer than the first, their tongues dancing and twining effortlessly around one another as though they had been kissing each other for years. Matthias felt that familiar ache in his chest, the one he'd been fighting since he met her, and somehow he knew that if he hadn't fallen for her before, he was certainly doing so now.

 

He felt her begin to clench around his fingers, her hip movements stuttery as they rocked against his ministrations, and he knew she was growing close to the edge. Slowly he pulled his fingers away, and the Freelancer's moan at the loss of contact was whiny and needy. They kissed again, this time chaste and quick, and then his cheek was pressed against hers as his mouth sought out her ear.

 

"Think you're ready for me?" Matthias asked, his voice low and thick with lust.

 

Felicity hummed happily. "Please," she murmured, "I want you, Matti."

 

He leaned back so that he could look at her face, the pupils of his chestnut eyes fully blown with desire. "I've wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you."

 

Their clothes were discarded in a heartbeat — Felicity's beautiful new dress was now in a crumpled heap on the floor, and she just knew Zoe would notice the creases later — and Matthias revelled in the sight of the beautiful woman sat on the desk before him, her perfect porcelain skin and lithe limbs sending him into a trance he wasn't sure he had the willingness to snap out of any time soon.

 

Matthias took a step toward her, his cock proudly stood at attention between his legs as he planted himself between the Freelancer's thighs. Felicity wrapped her legs around him, drawing him in ever closer, and he gasped at the heavenly warmth of her core against the head of his cock. She jerked her hips clumsily against his, and he sucked in a hissing breath between his teeth, his entire body trembling with a need for more. 

 

The arcanist lifted Felicity up off the table in a single fell swoop and she squealed at the sudden movement, her warm hands gripping tightly at his biceps as he spun round. Carrying her was easy, she was light as a feather — and it took him almost no effort to walk over to the bookcase, trapping the Freelancer between paper and flesh as he pressed her up against the piece of furniture. 

 

"I've wanted to do this for a while," came his voice, a smirk playing upon his lips. Her eyebrows shot up as she considered his suggestion, amusement written on her face — amusement quickly dissolving into open mouthed pleasure as Matthias thrust his hips firmly forward, sliding deep inside her without a second thought.

 

He stilled himself as soon as he was sheathed inside her, searching her eyes for any hint of regret or change of heart — genuinely surprised when he found none.

 

"What?" Felicity said, emitting a confused half-laugh as she stared back at him.

 

Matthias gave a gentle shake of his head. "Nothing. I just —" _Careful_. "— You're beautiful."

 

"Well, aren't you a smooth talker," she teased, and she glanced down between them, a cheeky glint in her eye. "If you're trying to seduce me, I can assure you, it's already worked." 

 

Matthias' bare chest vibrated with gentle laughter, and the arcanist leaned in to catch Felicity in an open mouthed kiss before he started to move again, slow and gentle thrusts as he made an extended attempt to savour the moment.

 

Felicity whimpered as he moved inside her, her head falling back against the bookcase as she stretched out both arms to grab onto it for leverage. A broken cry escaped her as she felt Matthias latch his hot mouth onto one of her nipples, grazing it with his teeth before immediately soothing it with his tongue.

 

The bookcase shook precariously, loudly banging against the wall behind it as Matthias drove into Felicity with increasing force. Some of his books toppled off the shelves to land with a thud on the hard ground beneath them, though they were both too lost in each other to notice the effect their lovemaking was having on their surroundings.

 

"Oh, _Matthias_ ," Felicity moaned — and the sound of her saying his name just like that, so desperate and needy, only spurred him on more, picking up speed as the sound of heavy breaths and skin slapping against skin filled the air around them.

 

Matthias' gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched as he pounded into her relentlessly, and a rough groan tumbled from his lips as he felt her clamp tightly around his length.

 

Felicity gripped hard at Matthias' shoulders as her orgasm suddenly began to surge through her, nails scraping deep into his already scratched up skin, the Freelancer letting out a long wail as she rode out her climax. Matthias gave a few more thrusts before joining her, his entire body trembling as he came with a filthy, gravelly growl.

 

Matthias gripped tightly at the underside of Felicity's thighs to keep them both steady, chest heaving as he attempted to catch his breath. The Freelancer's face was buried in his neck, her breath hot against his equally heated skin.

 

He laughed as he glanced at the floor, books strewn around his feet. "I'd say this wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had," he muttered breathily. Felicity hummed curiously, raising her head to understood what he meant — before bursting into laughter as she caught sight of the mess they'd made.

 

Her eyes met his, and as her laughter died down, she took a moment to drink in the sight of his handsome face before her. She cupped his cheek with a single shaky hand and the arcanist leaned into her touch, his eyelids drifting closed.

 

"You are just..." His eyes slowly reopened, his affection for her clear as day within his gaze, "...Remarkable. I'm so glad you came to see me tonight. I've wanted this longer than I can care to admit."

 

"You aren't the only one," Felicity responded with a chuckle, "I've wanted to tell you how I felt for so long, but it just never seemed the right time —"

 

"I totally get it. Between my line of work and yours, there's never really a right time for this to happen. Neither of us knows what's around the corner."

 

Felicity nodded, suddenly seeming somewhat defeated as she cast her eyes down at Matthias' chest, tracing her fingers over the fine dusting of hair upon it.

 

"But hey..." He started again, and Felicity glanced back up at him, "I want this. I want you. It's been a while since I did anything like this, but I want to see it through."

 

The Freelancer's eyes crinkled at the corners as her mouth turned up into a smile. She wrapped one arm around Matthias' neck, tracing the freckles down his nose gently with her other hand before leaning forward to press her lips softly against his.

 

Felicity gestured for him to release her from his grasp and he did so gently, the tiled floor uncomfortably cold against her feet as they touched the ground. One last quick kiss to his cheek and she was gone from his side, back to the desk where it had all began. Matthias turned around, taking a moment to cheekily admire the view as she bent down to pick up her dress, before joining her to pick up his own clothes.

 

Their goodbye was casual and fleeting, a quick kiss followed by a promise that she would visit him later, and then she was gone. She looked back before she left: she always did. But as he stood alone in the lab, eyes fixated on the pile of books they'd knocked out of place, Matthias heard the sound of her laughter resounding in his head, and realised that perhaps he didn't enjoy the silence of being alone quite as much as he used to.

 

All he could do was hope that she would always come back to drown out the silence.


End file.
